Floor-jack.



PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904. C. M. MILLICAN. FLOOR JACK.

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. No. 775.146. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

C. M. MILLICAN.

FLOOR JACK,

APPLIoATIoN FILED JUNE xo, 1904 um C n \J n. X MII U Il QOH Patented November 15, 1904.

FFlCE.

CHARLES M. MILLICAN, OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS.

FLOOR-JACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,146, dated November 15, 1904.

Application filed June 10,1904. Serial No. 212,036. (No model.)

To (1f/Z Vwho/rt 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. MILLICAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grapevine, in the county of Tarrant, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor-Jacks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention consists of an improved "licor-clamp#7 so called, which is a carpenters implement or tool used for clamping Hoorboards in place and retaining them in position while being nailed to the joists or beams, so

as to secure a close joint.

1t is the object of the invention to provide an eflicient, economical, and durable device of the character mentioned, and the novel parts and features forming my invention will hereinafter be fully set forth.

Of the drawings forming a part of the specilication, Figure l is a perspective View of the invention ap lied to use. Fie'. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is also a side view of the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. Llis a longitudinal section through the apparatus.

The same letters designate the same part or features wherever they occur. f

The frame of the implement consists of the head L and the arms c. The latter project forward from the head and are separated to an extent sufficient to admit a flooring-board between them without binding.` The inner edges of the outer ends of the arms are rounded, as at d c, in order the more easily to engage a board between the arms.

f designates a bearing-block provided with a longitudinal groovef on its front edge to receive the tongue of the board to be pressed into place or clamped7 or set, and the block is provided with a shank g, which extends rearwardlyY through the head and is constructed at its end to engage the notches or teeth /L of a latch-piece a', pivoted at its forward end to the head t and adapted to lie loosely on theend of the shank g] and hold it against liberty of rearward movement without being' purposely released.

Offset from the head n on one side thereof and connected at its rear end with the rear end of the shank g/ so as to practically be a part thereof is a piece j, extending' forwardly parallel with the said shank and pivoted at its forward end to the lever which latter is in turn fulcrunied near its lower end at on the head fr. A dog u is pivotcd in a slot in the arm c and projects with both ends from said l slot, so that one end may engage a nail or fastened board lying between the arms and e and beyond the one to be clamped or nailed. Pivoted to the opposite end of the dog u is a rod n, the free end of which is provided with a head fn. A helical spring m/ is disposed upon the rod yn and rests with one end against the head fn. Two rods m are disposed longitudinally of the rod fn within the helical spring wdv and are engaged with the convolutions of the spring/m farthest from the head 'nh These rods extend beyond the head M and are pivotally connected with the lever so that when the lever is operated the dog o will be shifted pivotally, the helical spring permitting of the desired amount of lost motion of thelever with respect to the rod n and dog o.

Vith this description the use of the device may readily be made clear. A board to be set is placed in position on the joists or other means and the two arms L c are arranged astride of the same with the lever thrown back as far as is necessary to bring the block f against the forward edge of the board to be clamped and fastened. llicn in this position, the tongue of the said board will rest in the groove in the forward face of the block, so as not to bruise or otherwise injure the tongue of the board. At the same time the dog o will be pressed into engagement with one of the boards already set. Then by pressing forward on the lever the board will be lirmly pressed in the same direction, its groove being engaged by the adjacent board and the joint made as close as possible. lVhile this is being done the notches of the piece 7 will have engaged the rear end of the shank of the bearing-block j', so as to prevent the latter from moving backward and releasing the board from clamped position, when it is securely nailed in place. The extensibility of IOO the rod n will prevent the dog 0 from taking too deeply into the board with which it is engaged, so as to injure it. After a board has been nailed or fastened as described the clamp will be released by loosening the notched latchpiece L and moving back the lever, when the clamp is free to be moved to another point and used in the same way.

What is claimed isnl. In a clamping implement for laying floorboards, 'the combination with the head of the two arms to extend astride of the boards, above and below the same, a movable block supported in the head, a dog on the forward end of one of the arms and means for moving the block forward and locking it in forward position.

2. Ina clamping implementfor laying floorboards, the combination with the head, of the two arms to extend astride of the boards above and below the same, a movable block supported in the head, a dog on the forward end of one of the arms, a lever pivoted on the head and operatively connected with the block to move it forward, and a pivoted notched piece to engage the block and hold it in position.

3. In a clamping implement for laying' fioorboards, the combination with the head and arms to extend astride the boards above and below the same, a dog on the forward end of one of the arms to engage afastened board, a clamping means operating from the head t0 clamp a board, and an extensible connection between the dog and the clamping means for operating the dog.

4. In a clamping implement for laying floorboards., the combination with the vhead and arms to extend astride the boards above and below the same, of a block movable in the head, means at the forward ends of the arms to hold them in fixed position, and a lever pivoted on the head and operatively connected with the block for moving the latterl and a board with which it engages forward into position.

5. The combination with the clamping device proper, of the dog for engaging xed means, and a yielding' device connected with the dog to hold it against too deep engagement with said fixed means.

In testimony whereof I'affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. MILLIGAN.

Witnesses:

B. F. MILLICAN, I. E. MILLICAN. 

